Sussex Border Path
A29 (South of Ockley, Surrey)
to Charlwood (West Sussex)
(9 Miles)
A pleasant mix of of field and woodland paths with conveniently placed pubs at Friday Street and Rusper.
After crossing A29 at GR 144367, follow concrete access drive to Denne Farm. At farm, walk between buildings and on along hedged track. After 250 yards, turn left along grass track, still between high hedges. Where enclosed path ends go ahead across field, over gated stream bridge and on in same direction across next field. Cross culvert and follow left-hand fence. After 60 yards, ignoring track to left, go ahead through bridle gate and follow woodland path. Leave wood through second bridle gate, go left for 10 yards, then right through farm gate. Clear tree-lined path takes you out to join lane (Weare Street) at GR 147375. Turn right and, after a quarter of a mile, about 100 yards beyond stream crossing, fork right along Smugglers Lane, also the access drive to Oakdale Farm. Ignore drive to left and, where concrete drive ends, go ahead along wide gravel-surfaced path between hedges. Where enclosed path ends, go forward, passing well to left of barn and continue along farm track. Pass between buildings at Wattlehurst Farm and, just past last cottage and garden on left, turn left through two gates and go ahead along left field edge. In far left corner, go through bridle gate and follow woodland path. Leave wood through gate and follow left field edge. In field corner, turn left through double-width gate to right of shed and go forward along hedged grass track to gate, then ahead through farmyard to pass through second double-width gate and turn right. Follow farm access drive out to A24 at GR173378.
Turn left for a few yards, then go right though metal field gate and ahead along left field edge. Cross railway and keep to left edge of next field also. Continue along fenced path, then out via access drive track from bungalow at Ridge Farm to join road at GR 181378. Turn right and, after 200 yards, just beyond stream crossing, turn right over stile and go ahead across pasture, skirting to left of dirt-racing track. Go through gap in hedge and on in same direction across next field. Cross plank bridge, track and second small bridge, then veer slightly right across next field to find two stiles sandwiching another plank bridge. Cross next field, joining and following right field edge. In corner, go over stile, through belt of trees and on in same direction across field beyond. On other side of field, ignoring bridge and gate ahead, bear left along field edge, go through gap in corner and along right edge of next field also. In corner, go ahead through gate and bear right along drive from cottage out to road at Friday Street (GR 185369).
Turn left, passing ‘Royal Oak’ PH on right and within 100 yards, just after passing gateway to ‘Howells Gill’ on right, turn right over plank bridge and stile and go ahead along right edge of small field to second stile. Head slightly left across horse paddock to next stile, turn right along access drive and, after 60 yards, fork left across grass, passing to left of small wood-built house. Go through gate and ahead along right field edge. After 100 yards, go right over stile and bear left for 60 yards to go over stile into woodland. Join track, coming from right over substantial brick culvert and turn left. After 30 yards, ignore left fork. After 300 yards along woodland path, leave wood through swing gate and follow right field edge with wood on right. After about 250 yards, go right through second swing gate, back into wood, and after 15 yards, turn left. Shortly, where path divides again, fork right, soon dropping steeply down to footbridge in deep gully. Climb roughly hewn steps. At top of slope, turn left along clear woodland path. Leave wood over stile beside broken gate, go forward along right field edge to gate, on to swing gate, then along right edge of recreation ground to join road at Rusper. Turn, right using convenient segregated path to right of road.
Just past Rusper Church and Plough Inn, turn left along signed path. Go straight ahead through partially landscaped area. From far left corner of this area, go ahead along enclosed path, through swing gate and on along clear path between fields. Pass through gap in tree belt and immediately turn left along left field edge with trees on left. In corner, follow path half right into wood descending to footbridge. Bear half right to leave wood and follow left edge of two fields with wood on left. Approaching second field corner, bear half left into wood. At T-junction, turn right. Emerge from wood, follow left field edge to stile in field corner, go ahead through tree belt and along left edge of second field, then short enclosed path to road at GR 215388.
Turn right and, at junction, go ahead, signed to Charlwood. Where road bends left, go right over stile and along right field edge. When next to isolated oak tree, veer half left across field. At circular concrete water trough, join and follow left field edge (on S side of hedge). In field corner, cross stile, go forward to gate in crossing fence and on in same direction across large field, passing to right of isolated pond. 100 yards past pond, join and bear left along right edge of two fields. In second field corner follow field edge round to left for 40 yards, then join road over stile at Russ Hill (GR 228401).
Turn right. Just past main entrance to Russ Hill Hotel, turn right over stile and immediately left along left field edge behind roadside hedge. In field corner, rejoin road verge for a few yards, passing Russ Hill House, then cross another stile and continue behind roadside hedge along left edge of two more fields. In second field corner, emerge to follow roadside for 10 yards, then enter signed enclosed path ahead which starts to left of drive to ‘Windacres.’ Where fenced path ends at stile, continue along left field edge. In field corner, go over two stiles and ahead across field. In corner, go over stile, across track and another stile, then follow stiled path along left edge of two fields, right edge of third and left edge of fourth field. Cross culvert and bear half right across field to swing gate, then go right through Charlwood churchyard and out to road through main church entrance. Leave ‘Half Moon’ PH on right and at main road, turn right.
(Revised July/August 2010)
Map of Sussex.
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Walking the Sussex Border Path
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